The political j-blogger

TLDR

The study examines how mainstream media journalists’ use of the blog format influences traditional journalistic norms and practices. The authors conduct a content analysis of 20 political or civic weblogs to assess non‑partisanship, transparency, and gatekeeping. Findings show that while opinion expression is common, journalists largely maintain gatekeeping roles, heavily link to mainstream sites, and are normalizing blogs as an enhancement of traditional norms.

Abstract

This study explores how the increasingly popular blog format, as adopted by journalists affiliated with mainstream media outlets, affects long-standing journalistic norms and practice. It focuses on non-partisanship, transparency and the gatekeeping role, using a content analysis of 20 weblogs dealing with politics or civic affairs. Although expressions of opinion are common, most journalists are seeking to remain gatekeepers even in this highly interactive and participatory format. Political j-bloggers use links extensively - but mostly to other mainstream media sites. At least in their early use, journalists are ‘normalizing’ the blog as a component, and in some ways an enhancement, of traditional journalistic norms and practices.